Also see Center for American Progress (Nonprofit)
The Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAP Action) is a 501(c)(4) left-of-center policy group established in 2003 as the lobbying arm of the Center for American Progress (CAP) think tank. The Action Fund is also the home of the CAP Progress Report, 8 9
Advocacy
In April 2024, CAP Action claimed that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump wanted to cut taxes for the wealthy while repealing Obamacare to do it. The report claimed that Trump’s plans to repeal Obamacare and impose new tariffs would raise the cost of living for low- and middle-income Americans. 28
President and CEO
Neera Tanden is the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress (CAP) and the CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund as of 2025. 29 Tanden had held both positions with CAP and CAP Action Fund from 2011 until Patrick Gaspard was announced as the president and CEO of CAP and CEO of CAP Action in June 2021. 32 33
Patrick Gaspard was the former president and CEO of CAP and the CEO of CAP Action, being announced in June 2021 to replace Neera Tanden. 34 In February 2025, it was announced that Tanden would be reappointed as President and CEO of CAP as well as CEO of CAP Action, with Gaspard being appointed as a distinguished senior fellow position with the organization. 34 32
Tom Perriello, a former U.S. Representative and unsuccessful candidate for the 2017 Democratic nomination for governor of Virginia, was president of the organization from 2011 through March 2014. 35
Board of Directors
CAP founder John Podesta was board of directors chairman until January 2014, when he joined the Obama White House as Counselor to the President. 38
- Julian Castro
- Steve Daetz
- Andrew Hauptman
- Kristin Mugford
- John Podesta
- Donald Sussman
- Neera Tanden
- Hansjörg Wyss
Presidential Campaigns
Center for American Progress and CAP Action have served as sources or played a role in Democratic presidential campaigns since the think tank and its lobbying arm were formed by former Clinton White House chief of staff John Podesta in 2003. During the George W. Bush administration and lead-up to Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign, CAP was “widely seen as an unofficial outpost of Team Hillary.” 0){
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